Blog from Family Affair

by Paul Michael, July 18th, 2012

Just another awesome day for us in the trades.  We're continuing our costly correction jibe to the west and are planning our final 650 mile layline jibe for the Pailolo Channel between Maui and Moloka'i.   In the early dawn we switched from jib to symmetric spinnaker after the cold squally weather settled down and picked up about 2 knots extra speed.  We ran hard with the symmetric spinnaker all day and then in the late evening, we were surrounded by squalls and elected to put up the jib again.  I'm torn between being racing hard and playing it safe.  The nights all throughout this race have been difficult due to obscured skies and a new moon.  Steering by compass alone without any external reference and not being able to see approaching squalls makes for very challenging sailing.

A pod of 4 pilot whales passed us by heading east in the early morning.  I didn't get a chance to see them as I was sleeping, but was told they passed within 25 yards of the boat.

In the warmer waters and partly sunny days, we've been able to switch from sponge baths to full showers.  We have two 5 gallon solar shower bags that we heat during the day and run into the shower stalls in the heads.  We wash with salt water and then have a quick fresh water rinse.  

We've all been comparing war wounds, bruises mostly.  We've got some real big ones.  Nothing serious, just the consequences of constantly walking about the cabin when the captain should have the seat belt sign on.  It's been a constant bumpy ride.  In a week we'll be with our spouses in bathing suits on the beaches of Maui.  We've joked about making a scene in public… "no!  okay, I'll do it… just please don't hit me again"!

The macerator pump for our waste tank decided that it had had enough of its crappy existence.   The motor of the pump fires up, but the transmission connecting it to the bellows is busted.  We didn't realize until the waste tank was completely full and now have no way to empty it.  Worse, the tank is in the forward cabin of the boat and that much weight forward has had a negative effect on our downwind running speed.  Fortunately, our aft head has a y-valve that allows us to flush waste directly overboard.  We can pump out the tank and fix the pump in Lahaina.

The highlight of our day came just before lunch.  We were running west fast at 9 to 11 knots and I had my line in the water with one of my cedar tuna plugs.  We got a big hit that peeled out a lot of line.  I kept increasing the drag on the 200 pound test line but it kept peeling out.  I went to full drag on the reel and was just barely able to stop its run.  It was pulling like a big halibut, mostly from our forward speed.  I had the rod down to the stern pulpit and was trying to stay out of Sharina's way as she helmed.  Finally it broke surface and we got our sight of a beautiful mahi mahi.  There was no way to slow the boat quickly and we continued to blaze downwind at double-digit speeds.  I reeled hard and finally got her to the stern and on board.  We were all very very happy.  It was about 15 pounds and 3 foot long.  They are the most beautiful and colorful fish I've ever caught.  We've got pics that I wish I could share with you through HF radio, but they will have to wait.  Tom did the cleaning and I made a big platter of sushi rolls and sashimi with meat and roe.  Then later for dinner, Tom seared most of the rest.  We ate like kings.  You can bet I'll try fishing again tomorrow. 

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